How to Understand MSDS

The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration requires that Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) be available in the workplace for any potentially hazardous material. Particularly if you work with dangerous chemicals in your job, it is critical that you learn to get quick, basic information from an MSDS. While some of the common sections, such as the chemical composition of a product or its shipping requirements, may not be of immediate importance to you, there are other sections that you should study carefully before working with a product.

Instructions

• 1

  Examine the hazardous identification and first-aid section first. If you are working with hazardous materials, you need to know exactly how hazardous a product is, and how to handle any accidental contact. For most hazardous products, you will see instructions for what to do if you accidentally ingest the product, get some on your skin, or splash it into your eyes. Be sure that all first-aid equipment is nearby when working with any potentially hazardous chemical.

• 2

  Find out which safety equipment you need. The exposure control section will explain whether you need gloves, protective goggles, a ventilator, or any other safety equipment when using the product. You should follow the recommendations of this section closely.

• 3

  Understand how to properly clean spills. The accidental release measures section will explain proper methods and any safety precautions you should take during the spill-removal process.

• 4

  Be prepared in case the product catches fire. If the product is flammable, there will be a fire-fighting section of the MSDS telling you how to extinguish a fire and whether any toxic fumes will be released if the product starts to burn. Always ensure you have the proper fire-fighting tools nearby if you are working with a flammable product.

• 5

  Learn how to safely handle and store the product. Manufacturers will package their products in appropriate storage containers, but you'll need to know what to do in case those containers become damaged or if some other circumstance requires you to store the product outside its original packaging. The handling and storage section will also tell you if there are any materials near which the product should not be stored.